Legacy guide
How to write the life story of someone you love
A life story is not a biography. It's the version of someone your grandchildren will meet long after you're gone. This guide will help you build one — whether it's for a parent, a mentor, a partner, or yourself.
Why most life-story projects stall
They start too big. People sit down trying to write a 300-page memoir and quit by page four. The trick is to think in moments, not chapters. Twenty good moments beat one bad book.
The seven moments every life story needs
If you collect these seven, you have a real legacy. Everything else is bonus.
- The earliest memory they can describe in sensory detail
- The first time they felt like an adult
- The decision that changed the direction of their life
- Their proudest moment — and why it was theirs, not someone else's
- Their hardest year, and what got them through it
- Something they believed at 25 that they don't anymore
- What they hope someone says about them at their funeral
How to interview without it feeling like an interview
Don't sit across the table. Sit beside them. Drive somewhere. Cook together. The best stories come out sideways, not face-to-face.
- Start with an object — a photo, a recipe, an old letter
- Ask follow-up questions twice before moving on
- Let silence happen; the next sentence is usually the important one
- If they get emotional, don't fill the space with words
From transcripts to legacy
Once you've collected the audio, photos, and notes, shape them. You don't need to be a writer.
- Group everything by life chapter (childhood, early adulthood, marriage, parenting, later years)
- Pull one or two quotes per chapter that sound exactly like them
- Pair each quote with a photo or an object
- Add a short paragraph of context so future readers know who's who
Where to keep it
A printed book is beautiful. A folder on a hard drive is not. The most durable legacies live in three places at once: a physical artifact someone can hold, a digital archive that's backed up, and a place other family members can add to over time. Preserve was built to be the third.
Don't just read about it. Start.
Preserve helps you collect the stories, voice, and lessons of the people who shape your life — whether they're still with you or not.
Preserve someone you love →